Apparatus and method for cleaning, drying and sanitizing produce

ABSTRACT

A produce cleaning machine provides baskets for holding large and small produce items and water sprayers for directing water jets onto the produce from above and below. One basket is motorized to rotate to more evenly clean the produce, while a further basket can be rolled in and out of the machine to make loading and unloading easier. The force of the spray is adjustable and the rotational speed of the motor is as well to provide for special handling of the produce. Rotation after cleaning is used to help dry the produce, and ultraviolet emission is used to sanitize the produce.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Present Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to washing machines and moreparticularly to a machine for washing produce.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Faggard et al., U.S. Pat. No. D300,573, discloses a design for adishwasher. Rich, U.S. 2003/0079761, discloses a hands-free,electrically operated food washing and preparation device having a fluiddispenser, such as a reservoir, a wash compartment, a motor-drivenagitator, a removable food basket, and a drain for removing soiled fluidfrom the device. Also provided is a variety of adaptable food processingattachments for the processing of food. Haslam, U.S. Pat. No. 2,326,356,discloses a vegetable washing device comprising in combination astationary drum adapted to receive vegetables to be washed, a waterspray therein, a rotatable plate in the bottom of the drum forsupporting the vegetables, ridges on the plate sloping from highportions near the circumference to low portions near its center, arotatable brush mounted on a vertical shaft centrally of the drum abovethe plate, means for rotating the plate and the brush whereby thevegetables will be tumbled inwardly against the rotating brush by theridges and sprayed during the brushing operation. Suelflow, U.S. Pat.No. 2,412,430, discloses a vegetable washing machine having a casingprovided with a support adapted for mounting upon a water tank,comprising stirrups projecting from the side walls of the washingmachine casing, horizontally positioned arms slidably mounted in thestirrups, means securing the arms in an adjusted position in thestirrups; jaws at the outer ends of the arms for engagement with oneedge of a water tank, and vertically disposed supporting legs adjustablysecured to the casing of the washing machine adapted to rest upon thebottom of a water tank. Butter, U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,333, discloses amulti-purpose washer having motor drive means, a main housing having anupper portion defining a tub, a rotatable container for material to becleaned disposed in the tub and having one member of a rapid fasteningmeans at the lower end thereof, a base for supporting the main housingand the container, a bottom and support plate in the main housingdefining the bottom at the lower end of the tub and having the motordrive means secured to the lower side thereof, a drive means housingsecured to the bottom of the support plate around the drive means, aplurality of rotatable studs having driving connections below the bottomside with the motor drive means and extending therefrom in sealedcondition through the bottom and support plate, one of the studs havinga member defining another member of the rapid fastening means adjacentto top side of the bottom and support plate and adjacent the lower endof the container for engagement with the one member and operative tosupport and rotate the container, and another of the studs beingdisposed at a lower level than the one of the studs for supporting anexchangeable rotatable upwardly extending material treating device belowthe lower end of the container. Kelly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,334,discloses a vegetable cleaner with an outer casing, a container withinthe casing for the vegetables to be cleaned, the container having abottom and a side wall, a drive plate, means mounting the drive platefor rotation horizontally below the container and connectable to bemotor driven, a series of conical discs, shafts on which the discs aremounted, means mounting the shafts in the container wall with the discsdisposed within the container spaced at intervals facing inward and theshafts projecting outwardly of the container, and wheels on the outwardportions of the shafts engaging to be frictionally driven by the driveplate. Reid, U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,051, discloses an apparatus foreffectively washing food articles of many different varieties,especially fruits and vegetables, which conveniently can be used as ahousehold appliance. The washing apparatus is comprised of a containerfor housing the food articles, an agitation system and washing systemfor removing undesired foreign materials from the surface of the foodarticles without causing bruising or damage, and a discharge system.Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,080, discloses an apparatus for tumbling andcleaning articles such as rocks, clams, potatoes, other vegetables andfruits, and the like. The apparatus has a frame with a container mountedfor free rotation thereon. The container has perimetric surfaces withnumerous openings therethrough for allowing an impinging jet of water orother liquid to wash the articles and carry dirt away. Fins areadvantageously provided about the container for engaging the jet ofliquid to thereby rotate the container so that articles being cleanedare tumbled therein. Brushing devices are included within the containerto aid in removal of soil from the articles as they tumble against thebrushes. Jacobson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,241, discloses a device fordrying food products such as vegetables by aeration. The device includesa container having a domed cover and housing a network of tubing havinga plurality of apertures through which compressed air is discharged fordrying food products supported within said container in a mesh basket.The dome-shaped cover enhances air circulation by re-directing upwardflowing air back down toward the enclosed food product causing certainfoods such as lettuce to tumble in the resulting air stream. A pressurerelief valve operates to limit pressure within the container and allowthe escape of moisture laden air. In an alternate embodiment water isfirst allowed to flow through the tubing network and out of the tubeapertures for washing the enclosed food product. Rich, U.S. Pat. No.6,508,257, discloses a hands-free, electrically operated food washingdevice having a fluid dispenser, such as a reservoir, a washcompartment, a motor-driven agitator, a removable food basket, and adrain for removing soiled fluid from the device. Also provided arecontrols allowing a user to vary wash cycle parameters. Leblond, U.S.Pat. No. 6,578,590, discloses a device for cleaning and sanitizingobjects such as food products, cartridge filter elements and other suchobjects that could benefit from the advantages of beingcircumferentially sprayed with a fluid or a cleaning solution orpreferably a combination thereof. The present invention comprises aninner and outer housing body, a cover for the housing body, a rotativecentral member such as a base, axle or shaft, a rotative drive means forselectively rotating the rotative member, intake means to introduce oneor more fluids or solutions individually or in combination into theinterior of the housing body including a means for further pressurizingand peripherally directing the resulting spray towards a central pointin a specific array, a containment means for placement of such itemstherein, and an outlet means to provide for the removal of fluid fromthe housing. Talisman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,818, discloses a refrigeratedautomatic fruit and vegetable washer that washes fruits and/orvegetables and stores them in a cool environment after they have beenwashed. A portable self-contained embodiment has a cabinet that sits ona countertop and contains a water spray system and a thermoelectriccooling system and sits on a kitchen countertop and has water inlet anddrain hoses releasably connected to the sink faucet. Anotherself-contained embodiment fits into a lower storage compartment of arefrigerator and can be removed and placed on the countertop for thewashing operation. A built-in cabinet embodiment is permanentlyinstalled in the kitchen. A wash-only embodiment is slidably received inthe lower portion of a refrigerator in place of the existing vegetablecrisper to be cooled by the refrigerator cooling system and is removedtherefrom and placed on a countertop for the washing operation. Thefruit and vegetable washer may also be built into a refrigerator as anintegral component of the refrigerator. Berke et al., U.S. Pat. No.6,871,654, discloses a sonic fruit and vegetable washer for removinginorganic impurities and pathogens from a variety of raw fruit andvegetables. The sonic fruit and vegetable washer is comprised of ahousing, a removable basket, a liquid dispenser, a filter, a sonicgenerator, a spray head, hydraulic values, electrical controls, ablower, and a heating element. The washer is connected to an existingfaucet, and drains into a conventional kitchen sink. During a typicaloperation, the controls are adjusted for a particular fruit orvegetable, a fruit or vegetable is loaded into the basket, and a smallamount of a preservative, cleaning agent, sweetener or vitamin ormineral is added and electrical power is applied. Water enters thewasher, is filtered, and one or more wash and rinse cycles arecompleted. The sonic generator is active during the wash and rinsecycles to remove and flush contaminants from the washer. Thereafter, adrying cycle is completed. Corazza, WO 99/35945, discloses an apparatusfor washing vegetable foodstuffs, comprising agitator means for bringingabout relative motion between the vegetables immersed in a washing fluidand the washing fluid itself, characterized in that the agitator meanscomprise a compressed-air generator and a diffuser which diffuses theair in the washing fluid and which can be placed in the fluid beneaththe vegetables being treated so that the compressed air bubbling throughthe fluid brings about the relative motion.

The related art described above discloses produce washers. However, theprior art fails to disclose such a washing machine with a spin dry cycleand which may be selected for high or low pressure water impingement.The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providingheretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure teaches certain benefits in construction and use whichgive rise to the objectives described below.

A fruits and vegetables washing machine providing upper and lowerbaskets for holding produce and upper, mid, and lower sprayers fordirecting water to the produce from above and below. The upper basket ismotorized to rotate to more evenly clean the produce, while the lowerbasket can be rolled in and out of the machine to make loading andunloading easier. The force of the spray is adjustable and therotational speed of the motor is as well to provide for special handlingof the produce. An enclosure provides a mounted for rotating about ahinge into a horizontal attitude extending away from the enclosure andthereby forming a support platform for a produce basket. A dual functionconduit delivers water and electrical power to a top, central and lowerstationary valves, which are fixedly supported by the dual functionconduit so as to deliver water from the dual function conduit to centralhubs and thereby to pairs of horizontally oriented spray batons. Thespray batons each provide plural spray nozzles positioned for directingwater jets at an angle suitable for propelling the batons and centralhubs in rotational motion about the stationary valves. An upper spraynozzles directs the water jets primarily downwardly, a centrallypositioned spray nozzle directs the water jets both upwardly anddownwardly, and a lower positioned nozzle directs the water jetsprimarily upwardly. This provides comprehensive cleaning action withinan upper basket mounted on a standoff in an upper space within theenclosure and which is positioned for receiving the water jets from thetop and central stationary valves, while a lower basket mounted onplural wheels in a lower space within the enclosure is positioned forreceiving the water jets from the medial and lower stationary valves. Anultraviolet emitter is used to sanitize the produce. Several waterwashing and spin dry cycles are stored in a control device and areselectable by a user.

A primary objective inherent in the above described apparatus and methodof use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a produce washer that has a wash cycleand a spin dry cycle.

A further objective is to provide control over water pressureimpingement from above and below the produce.

A still further objective is to provide such a machine with slowrotation of the produce during washing, and faster rotation duringdrying cycles.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the presently described apparatus and methodof its use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the bestmode embodiments of the present invention In such drawing(s):

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the presently described apparatusshown with the near wall removed so as to disclose interior details ofan enclosure of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective elevational frontal view thereof shownwith baskets of the apparatus removed or withdrawn; and

FIG. 3 is an electrical schematic diagram thereof showing powerconductor paths with solid lines and control signal conductor paths withbroken lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatusand its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best modeembodiment, which is further defined in detail in the followingdescription. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to makealterations and modifications what is described herein without departingfrom its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that what isillustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that itshould not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the presentapparatus and method of use.

Described now in detail is an apparatus for cleaning produce. Theapparatus comprises an enclosure 10 having a door 12 in a frontal panel14 of the enclosure 10. The door 12 is mounted for rotating about ahinge 16 into a horizontal attitude extending away from the enclosure 10and thereby forming a support platform as shown in FIG. 2. A dualfunction conduit 20 delivers water and electrical power to a topstationary valve 30 (V1), a medial stationary valve 30′ (V2) and abottom stationary valve 30″ (V3), as shown in FIG. 3, the stationaryvalves V1-3 fixedly supported by the dual function conduit 20 so as todeliver water to central hubs 40 and thereby to pairs of horizontallyoriented spray batons 45. The valves 30, 30′ and 30″ are controlled by acontrol 90 (FIG. 3) of any common type well known in the art, and whichis preferably of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,654 to Berkeet al or U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,257 Rich both of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference. The control is able to set each of thevalves independently to any position for water flow from no flow, tomaximum flow and such settings are established in specific washingprograms stored in the control and selectable by the user. Examples ofthese programs will be described below.

The spray batons 45 each provide plural spray nozzles 46 positioned fordirecting water jets 50 at an angle suitable for propelling the batons45 and central hubs 40 in rotational motion about the stationary valves30. Developing rotational driving force by water jet directing is wellknown in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, an upper positioned set of thespray nozzles 46 direct the water jets 50 primarily downwardly, while amedially positioned set of the spray nozzles 46 direct the water jets 50both upwardly and downwardly, and a lower positioned set of the spraynozzles 46 direct the water jets 50, primarily upwardly.

An upper basket 60 is mounted on a standoff arm 62 in an upper spacewithin the enclosure and is positioned for receiving the water jets 50from the top 30 and medial 30′ stationary valves, hubs 40, batons 45 andnozzles 46. A lower basket 65 is mounted on plural wheels 66 in a lowerspace within the enclosure and is positioned for receiving the waterjets 50 from the medial 30′ and lower 30″ stationary valves, hubs 40,batons 45 and nozzles 46.

The enclosure 10 provides a floor surface 11 slanted rearwardly in theenclosure and a drain grating 17 positioned rearwardly for receivingwater from the floor surface 11, the drain grating directing the waterinto a drain system 18. The enclosure 10 also provides a pair ofopposing ridges 19, one of which is shown in FIG. 1, positioned forreceiving the plural wheels 66 of the lower basket 65 for supporting thelower basket 65 thereon. The door 12 supports the lower basket 66 inrolling motion into and out of the enclosure 10 when the door 12 is inthe horizontal attitude, as shown in FIG. 2.

The standoff 62 terminates with a stationary motor 70, the motorproviding a non-round recess 72 for receiving an axle 64 engaged withand extending downwardly from the upper basket 60, the axle engaging thenon-round recess 72 for enabling the motor 70 to drive the axle 64 andupper basket 60 in rotational motion for spin-drying produce 80 withinthe upper basket 60, the motor speed controlled by the controller 90.

In the preferred embodiment, an ultraviolet light emitter 100, a lamp orsimilar device, is mounted for directing such energy toward the produce80. In the present disclosure, the emitter 100 is mounted in a ceilingsurface 11′ of the enclosure 10 and directs its energy downwardly towardthe baskets 60 and 65. Such emitters may be mounted in plural locationswithin the enclosure 10 so as to more fully cover all areas of theproduce 80 in both the upper 60 and the lower 65 baskets. The emitter100 is provided to kill life pathogens that may still remain on produceafter being washed.

As stated, the control 90 is engaged for controlling the valves 30, 30′,30″, and the motor 70, and it also controls the ultraviolet emitter(s)100. The control 90 is preferably mounted within the door 12 as shown inFIG. 2 and provides operator's controls 92 preferably positioned in anupper edge of the door 94. Such controls 92 are able to select acleaning cycle of choice or can be used to program a custom cycle. Themotor 70 may be set to one of several pre-programmed speeds such asslow, medium and fast, or it may be set to a percent of maximum speedfor a custom cycle. The valves V1-3 may be set to open during all or anypart of a cycle for low, medium and high flow rate, or may be selectedto open for admitting a percentage of a maximum flow rate. Theultraviolet lamp may be programmed to operate during any portion of thecustom cycle or only at the end of a washing and/or washing and dryingcycle. In this manner, the present apparatus is able to meet the needsof most cleaning and sanitizing operations for small or large produceitems.

In addition to the upper 60 and lower 65 baskets, a small basket 69 maybe used with the present apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2. This basket 69is used for small items such as cherry tomatoes or grapes and such andis placed within the lower basket 65 during use. Of course, our meaningherein is not to limit the number of baskets to two or three, but anynumber of such baskets may be employed. Each of the baskets definedherein may be comprised of two or more individual or separate basketportions.

The method for washing fruits and vegetables using the above describedapparatus includes delivering water and electrical power to a motor 70and the valves 30, 30′, 30″ within the enclosure 10. Such a deliverysystem (conduit 20) may be a single tube carrying water and a furthersingle tube carrying electrical wires. The delivery system (conduit 20)may also be a pair of tubes mounted coaxially. Clearly, water isconducted to each of the valves, and electrical power is delivered toeach of the valves V1-3 and also to the motor 70 and ultraviolet lamp100. Clearly, control voltages are also delivered to each of thesedevices to set operating conditions. FIG. 3 shows such an electricalarrangement in schematic form and one of skill in this art will be ableto enable such a control system using standard operating and controlelements. Operating of the apparatus to meet the objectives describedabove involves mounting the upper basket 60 with produce therein ontothe motor 70, mounting the lower basket 65 by rolling it into theenclosure 10 on the ridges 62, with further produce placed therein, andoperating rotating spray nozzles 46 above the upper basket 60, betweenthe upper basket and the lower basket, and below the lower basket 65 towash the produce. The method also provides for controlling water flowrates through the valves 30, 30′, 30″ and thereby, the impingement forceof the water jets 50, and also controlling the rotational speed of themotor 70 for effectively washing and drying the produce 80 through aselected one of a plurality of washing cycles which are stored in thecontroller 90.

Preferably, one of the washing cycles comprises no water flow ratethrough the upper one of the valves 30 and one of low, medium and highwater flow rate in a medial and a lower one of the valves 30′ and 30″for washing produce 80 in only the lower basket 65.

Preferably, one of the washing cycles comprises a washing step includingno water flow rate in the lower one of the valves 30″ and one of low,medium and high water flow rate in a medial and a upper one of thevalves 30′ and 30″ with the motor 70 set for low rotational speed, forwashing produce in the upper basket 60.

Preferably, one of the washing cycles comprises a dry-off step followingthe washing step, the dry-off step including zero water flow rate in allvalves, and setting the motor to high rotational speed. This step may befollowed by a period of time devoted to ultraviolet exposure to assuresanitizing of the produce.

Preferably, one of the washing cycles is a washing step includingselected water flow rates in each of the valves and the motor set forlow rotational speed, for washing fruits and vegetables in both theupper and lower baskets, followed by a dry-off step establishing zerowater flow rate in all valves and a high motor rotational speed. Therotational speed of the motor 70 is set for thorough cleaning of produceby a selected impingement force due to valve flow rate. For instance, ifthe produce has highly resistant soils on it, the impingement force isset higher and the motor rotation is set lower. If soils are easilyremoved and/or the produce is easily damaged the rotational rate is sethigher and the impingement forces are set lower by lower value flowthrough. Also, for heavy soils, the cycle time may be increased, whilefor light soils or merely wishing to rinse the produce, the cycle timeis reduces. Preferably, the user has full control of water flow rate ateach valve, motor speed rate, ultraviolet lamp cycle time, and overallcycle time.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over theprior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of atleast one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to theachievement of the above described objectives. The words used in thisspecification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understoodnot only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to includeby special definition in this specification: structure, material or actsbeyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an elementcan be understood in the context of this specification as including morethan one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic toall possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word orwords describing the element.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein aremeant to include not only the combination of elements which areliterally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts forperforming substantially the same function in substantially the same wayto obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is thereforecontemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements maybe made for any one of the elements described and its variousembodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or moreelements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person withordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expresslycontemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and itsvarious embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later knownto one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scopeof the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understoodto include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what isconceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and alsowhat incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunctionwith the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each namedinventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended tobe patented.

1. An apparatus for cleaning produce, the apparatus comprising: anenclosure having a door in a frontal panel of the enclosure, the doormounted for rotating about a hinge into a horizontal attitude extendingaway from the enclosure and thereby forming a support platform, theenclosure further providing a floor surface extending from the frontalpanel to a rear panel at a slanted angle in the enclosure and a draingrating positioned adjacent to the rear panel for receiving water fromthe floor surface, the drain grating directing the water into a drainsystem; a conduit delivering water and electrical power to a topstationary valve, a medial stationary valve and a bottom stationaryvalve, the stationary valves fixedly supported by the conduit so us todeliver water from the conduit to central hubs and thereby to pairs ofhorizontally oriented spray batons, the spray batons each providingplural spray nozzles positioned for directing water jets at an anglesuitable for propelling the batons and central hubs in rotational motionabout the stationary valves, an upper positioned one of the spraynozzles directing the water jets primarily downwardly, a mediallypositioned one of the spray nozzles directing the water jets bothupwardly and downwardly simultaneously, and a lower positioned one ofthe spray nozzles directing the water jets primarily upwardly; an upperbasket mounted on a standoff arm in an upper space within the enclosureand positioned for receiving the water jets from the top and medialstationary valves; and a lower basket mounted on plural wheels in alower space within the enclosure and positioned for receiving the waterjets from the medial and lower stationary valves; the standoffterminating with a stationary motor, the motor providing a non-roundrecess for receiving an axle engaged with and extending downwardly fromthe upper basket, the axle engaging the non-round recess for enablingthe motor to drive the axle and upper basket in rotational motion forspin drying fruits and vegetables within the upper basket, the motorspeed controlled by a controller.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe enclosure provides a pair of opposing ridges positioned forreceiving the plural wheels of the lower basket for supporting the lowerbasket thereon, the door supporting the lower basket in rolling motioninto and out of the enclosure when the door is in the horizontalattitude.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valves areelectrically adjustable for selected water flow therethrough ascontrolled by the controller.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising at least one ultraviolet emitter positioned for directingultraviolet energy toward at least one of the baskets.
 5. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein the controller is engaged for controlling the valvesand the motor, the controller mounted within the door, operator'scontrols of the controller positioned in an edge of the door.